A chronicle of Issues, Studies, News and other items of interest regarding Mormonism (2006-2013)

Friday, August 11, 2006

Panel discusses the Book of Mormon

Panel discusses the Book of MormonHEIDI TOTH - Daily Herald

Robert Price considers the Book of Mormon fiction. Richard Bushmanwants to separate the text of the book from the beliefs of individualmembers of the LDS Church about Joseph Smith as a modern-day prophet.Phyllis Tickle is an "absolute literalist" who believes the book wasdivinely inspired, but as an Episcopalian doesn't necessarily acceptit. Robert Rees and Mark Thomas, both Mormons, believe many of thebest insights into the book, which lies at the core of their faith,come from people who are not LDS.

The five religious scholars discussed the Book of Mormon, sacred textsand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at a roundtablediscussion Wednesday night at the Salt Lake City Library. The twoEpiscopalians and three LDS scholars sparred graciously with eachother and members of the audience, sometimes agreeing and sometimesnot. All agreed that the Book of Mormon is a valuable piece ofliterature.

But their perspectives varied.

Thomas, a BYU professor who started the Book of Mormon Round Tablefour years ago because of a void he saw in discussions about the book,said the greatest need in understanding it was open discussion withouthostility between believers and non-believers. Too often, he said,Mormons use the book to exclude people, and non-Mormons use it to beexcluded. Thomas repeatedly said that, especially in a response toquestions and comments from the audience, it should be used to helppeople of all faiths understand one another.

The Book of Mormon provides a way to start a dialogue about religiousbeliefs, he said.

"Mormonism was born in a fortress," he said. "Mormonism is at thepoint where it needs to get out of the fortress, stop throwing rocksand get to the crossroads. We don't need to defend ourselves."

Rees said discussions with non-Mormons about the Book of Mormonprovide Mormons with insight. In his experience, members of the LDSChurch tend to read the book superficially, while others will read itmore thoroughly.

Price, a humanist, New Testament scholar and member of the JesusSeminar -- a group of scholars who study the historical Jesus -- wasleast like the other panelists in that he rejects the book as the wordof God and believes it amounts only to literature.

He is an Episcopalian who was converted as a youth, goes to churchfrequently and puts the Bible in the fiction category as well --stories, doctrine and all.

"I consider myself a Christian, but I'm not even sure Jesus everexisted," he said. The uncertainty doesn't keep him from worshipping,and he benefits by participating in the drama of religion, he said. "Ilove all the religions. I no longer believe literally the stories orthe doctrines of any of them."

Bushman, a historian at Columbia University whose ancestors have beenLDS for five generations, said his experience as a Mormon historianhas taught him to appreciate the doctrines; but he looks at the text.In an academic study the Book of Mormon, the text needs to beconsidered on its own, he said.

"Great documents frequently are embedded in a story that in some waybecomes more important than the document itself," he said. He addedthat the both doctrine and the view that the Book of Mormon is anendorsement of Joseph Smith as a prophet muddies the study of thebook.

"That complicates the study of the text because always in thebackground is his authenticity as a prophetic figure," Bushman said.

The scholars also discussed tenets of the Book of Mormon they foundmost insightful or intriguing. For Thomas, it's that the book is the"voice of the downtrodden, and it's a voice that you don't hearoften."

Rees, an editor of a series of essays on the Book of Mormon, andTickle, religion editor at Publisher's Weekly, both said caring forthe poor is a major theme. Rees also noted that the terrible cost ofwar stands out.

"We forget as Latter-day Saints that the Lord's conjecture is torenounce war and sue for peace," he said. In recent years, LDS Churchleaders have emphasized the desirability of peace but have also saidthat wars to defend righteous principles must sometimes be fought.

Tickle enjoys the Book of Mormon both because of the drama and thecloseness she feels to the stories, which overwhelm everything elsefor the first 10 minutes or so each time she reads it.

"This is the only sacred work I know of that deals with country I walkon," she said.

Panelists also briefly touched on what defines a sacred text, andalthough "Star Wars," "Lord of the Rings" and J.D. Salinger werementioned, none could be classed as sacred.

Rees defined a sacred text as anything that opened the reader up tomore light and more love, and included in that list the Apocrypha, theDead Sea scrolls and a number of American Indian writings.

Tickle defines text as sacred if a community has sprung from it andreturns to it for direction and if she is able to take it with herinto her most holy prayers -- and if its sacredness continues afterthe writing is finished.

"They must live, and they live in flesh," she said of the texts.

Price admitted he struggled with the concept of classifying somethingas scripture. Some texts, such as the Quran or the Book of Mormon, heaccepts as scripture both as a matter of respect and because herecognizes that people consider them holy even though he doesn't sharethat belief.

Bushman mentioned that his wife, who has contributed to a book aboutthe Book of Mormon, was studying the "little books." "Her point isthat if Chemish could contribute to the Book of Mormon by writing twoverses, surely we could write our own scriptures," he said, adding ifpeople write down experiences that bring them closer to God thatbecomes scripture for them and their family.

Heidi Toth can be reached at 344-2543 or htoth@heraldextra.com.This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.